Microsoft Outlook Freezes: Emergency OOB Update Released
- Microsoft released emergency updates on Saturday, January 24, 2026, for Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.
- Users began reporting freezes when opening Outlook after Microsoft released the January 2026 Patch Tuesday updates.
- A PST file is a data file Outlook uses to store email and other user data locally,rather than on a mail server.
Microsoft Issues emergency Updates to Fix Outlook Issue
Microsoft released emergency updates on Saturday, January 24, 2026, for Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server. These updates address a problem preventing Microsoft Outlook classic from opening when using PST files stored in cloud storage.
Users began reporting freezes when opening Outlook after Microsoft released the January 2026 Patch Tuesday updates. The issue specifically affects outlook when attempting to open PST files located in cloud storage services like OneDrive and Dropbox.
A PST file is a data file Outlook uses to store email and other user data locally,rather than on a mail server. These files are frequently used in enterprise environments for offline access and message backups.
“after installing Windows updates released on or after January 13, 2026 (the Originating KBs listed above), some applications might become unresponsive or experience unexpected errors when opening files from cloud storage locations.”
